Dawson Airport improvement project moving forward

WHITEHORSE—Functional planning for improvements at the Dawson Airport is underway. The plan will help set long-term goals for the airport and address paving the runway.

“The Government of Yukon wants to ensure that we are allocating funds with the best return on investment,” Minister of Highways and Public Works Scott Kent said. “We are confident this plan will give us a firm foundation to begin needed upgrades to this facility. We remain committed to start paving in 2017, but it is important to recognize that paving is just one component of a larger project.”

It takes considerable time and labour to perform technical and business case analysis, feasibility studies, impact assessments, detailed design concepts and identification of funding sources on a project of this scope.

As the functional planning phase continues, Highways and Public Works is committed to working with the Dawson City Chamber of Commerce as a partner.

“The Dawson City Chamber of Commerce is pleased that the functional plan previously announced is now underway,” Dawson City Chamber of Commerce president Dick Van Nostrand said. “It is a necessary component of the preparation for paving of the runway and possible future enhancements and development. We expect that, barring any insurmountable obstacles during the functional plan process, paving will proceed in 2017.”